


when the sun goes down

by Caliente (Bether)



Series: Chiefly Friends [2]
Category: Marvel (Comics), New Mutants, X-Men (Comicverse)
Genre: Angst and Humor, Betaed, Canon Compliant, Community: fanfic100, Friendship, Gen, Hopeful Ending, Missing Scene, One Shot, POV Male Character, POV Third Person, Past Tense, Teasing, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-07-30
Updated: 2007-07-30
Packaged: 2017-10-11 23:08:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/118168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bether/pseuds/Caliente
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dani and Sam reminisce on a hill overlooking the X-Mansion remains, while watching the sun set. It's all very symbolic... except the necessary bickering. || <a href="http://fanfic100.livejournal.com/">FanFic100</a> #32: Sunset.</p>
            </blockquote>





	when the sun goes down

**Author's Note:**

> Set around New Mutants v2 #13 and X-Treme X-Men #46 (the end of both series) and after Grant Morrison destroyed the X-Mansion in New X-Men v1.
> 
>  **Disclaimer:** Characters mentioned are used without permission and are trademarks of Marvel Characters, Inc. I do not own them and am simply borrowing for my purposes. Please don't sue.

He found her sitting on the hill that overlooked what was left of the Xavier Institute. She was cross-legged with her eyes shut, head tilting back as she basked in the sun. When he got closer, she smiled and shielded her face as she opened her eyes to look at him. "You waiting for an invitation or somethin', Hayseed?" she teased, pulling her knees together and resting her arms on top of them. "Get over here, Guthrie."

With a laugh, he took the seat beside her. "Good to see your gentle nature hasn't been tarnished by this cynical world," he replied, stretching his long legs out in front of him and leaning back on his hands. "'S what I like about you, y'know."

Dani chuckled, resting her head on her arms and they watched the sun dip behind the trees in a comfortable silence.

"Remember when we were the only students here?" she asked when the bright red circle had all but disappeared below the skyline. "Just you, me, Rahne, Shan and Bobby."

A warm smile spread on Sam's face as he nodded. "Sure seemed like the world was simpler then." He pushed himself up, throwing an arm around her shoulder affectionately. "S'pose it wasn't really, though."

"Disappearing family members, alien and demonic teammates, the Hellfire Club,  _Doug_ …" She ignored the way her voice wavered on his name and eyes prickled with unshed tears even after all these years. (It was probably just the brightness of the sun or something. Yeah.) Dani pushed through it. "But at least we knew all the names of our friends— _and_  our enemies. Now it feels like every other week some new villain tries to make a name for himself by coming after the students." Sure, they were all potential future superheroes (and villains, honestly) but right now? They were still kids, still (somewhat)  _innocent._

Sam rubbed her arm comfortingly and she rested her head against his shoulder. "The students'll be fine," he said confidently. "They might have to grow up a bit faster'n most, but they've got you an' the others to show 'em the way."

Laughing without humor, she closed her eyes. The red sky was too ominous right then. "Might as well. We paved it, after all."

"That we did," he agreed, voice far away (buried in memories, most likely). "Road might still have a few rough patches, though."

Dani tilted her head so she could see Sam's face, which was currently framed by purple and pink clouds. "Then they'll stumble from time to time—just like we did."

With a laugh, he hugged her a little tighter. "An' they'll have you to help 'em up if they fall." He grinned down at her. "Probably look prettier doin' it, too, than Mags or Xavier ever did."

Snorting, Dani shot him a dubious look. "Probably? Quite a way with words you got there, Sammy." She watched the last glimmers of sunlight finally disappear behind the trees. "I feel for your unfortunate girlfriend."

"Hey!" Sam objected, poking her in the side. "Don't make me teach  _you_  a lesson, Dani Moonstar."

She let out a loud, "Ha!" and tugged on his ear. "As if you could."

Reaching around her, he grabbed her around the waist. "Ooh! Now you're askin' for it, girl!"

Despite the fact that Dani could have put him down (seriously, she totally could), she didn't struggle. Instead, she placed her hands on either side of his face to still him. There was something safe about being there with him, his arm around her. Something that made her feel brave enough to ask the question she wasn't sure she was ready to hear the answer to: "Sam… it's going to be all right, right?"

There was nothing but sincerity and honesty in his gaze as he met her eyes. He tucked her hair behind her ear and smiled in a slight, terribly lopsided way. "As long as you're doing what's right for you, it ain't ever wrong." He pulled her into a backward sort of hug.

Frowning, she twisted so she could see his face again. That was well and good but—"What if I'm not sure what's right for me?"

The confidence on Sam's face as he smiled down at her comforted her more than any words could. "You'll figure it out, Chief." He tilted his head forward so their foreheads were touching. "You always do."

She was quiet for a long moment, biting her bottom lip contemplatively. Then a grin broke out on her face and she gave him a loud smack of a kiss on the cheek. "I know," she agreed teasingly, standing up and stretching out her limbs. "But thanks; I needed to hear that." She winked at him, offering her hand to him. "Maybe you're not so bad with words, after all.

Letting her pull him up, Sam used his momentum to pull her into a headlock. "Brat."

"Ooh!" she struggled, poking him in the stomach in protest. (She could've gone for an over the shoulder throw, but she figured he'd earned a pass being all nice and good to her. This time.) "You better watch out, Guthrie! You're gonna be  _so_ glad you're invulnerable…"

Sam grinned, dragging her off as she continued to lob halfhearted threats at him and poke at his side. They might be adults now and have responsibilities and all that but that didn't mean they had to act  _grown up_  all of the time.


End file.
